Shipping costs and delivery time-frames are two of the most common complaints customers have for ecommerce stores. No matter how efficient the shipping service is, customers often have dissatisfaction ranging from issues of unrealistic delivery time periods to shipping costs. However, it is one of the most important things for online shoppers that products are being shipped to consumers’ homes or businesses. Merchants can increase shipping orders of ecommerce sales by following these few steps:
1. Offer a shipping policy section on your store’s ecommerce website. Give clients and potential consumers’ information on the shipping services you offer so they will know what to expect. This prevents future problems because consumers will have an idea of what you can and cannot do in terms of shipping products.
2. Shipping options, prices, and delivery time-frames are pertinent information that clients should know before purchasing any item from your ecommerce business. By giving customers available shipping options along with the cost and estimated delivery time, they will be more willing to do repeat business with you because of the upfront information you provide. By simply asking the zip code, you will have an idea of the cost of shipping if prices vary based on delivery location. Know when to ship tomorrow or if you need an extra day for the holidays or the weekends. Estimated delivery time should be as accurate as possible. It’s better to deliver early than deliver late.
3. Free shipping is great but it can also kill your ecommerce store if done incorrectly. Consumers would sometimes prefer a more expensive overall price than a cheaper item with high shipping costs. Established ecommerce retailers who have offered free shipping early on would suffer greatly if they revert to paid shipping. An alternative is to offer free shipping based on a certain amount but that can also backfire if you earn the same profit from both expensive and cheap items. Whatever you decide, choose between free shipping or price threshold shipping because retracting it for any reason may be the end of your online business.
4. Avoid USPS if you can. Using the United States Postal Service to ship products isn’t really a good idea unless your consumer doesn’t expect to receive the package in a week, a month, or maybe never. Shipping costs via USPS may be the cheapest means but added services such as delivery confirmation or package tracking means extra payment. Additionally, a package lost by USPS means that you’re going to have a big hassle trying to recover it. The time it takes to get the product back offsets the loss of the product and the cost of sending a new one.
5. Don’t procrastinate. Ship now. Why wait when you can ship the package now? Successful ecommerce retailers make sure that packages are sent out the day they are ordered. Customers may not buy from you again if they feel that you are wasting precious time before you prioritize their orders. Shipping early makes everyone happy because as an ecommerce retailer, you also are removed of all burdens once it is sent out.
6. Inform customers of every order status. There’s simply no reason not to. From the purchasing to the shipping and to the delivery process, consumers have every right to know the status of their shipment. An email letting them know that the item has been purchased and shipped is one way of making them feel appreciated and important. Finally, don’t forget to inform them should problems arise in the process.
No matter how good or efficient the shipping services at your ecommerce store are, there will always be customers who will complain. Just make sure that you are handling shipping in the best means possible and offer support should anything go wrong. With the best shipping practices, ecommerce sales are bound to increase.
